Beauty and the Beast, with a twist of fate
by azndrgn
Summary: Written following the 2017 version. Maurice takes Belle away from Paris just to meet trouble when a young boy suddenly helps him. He chooses to live him them for a little before departing. Now he's back again, and he's going to help the family once more! Any scenes that follow the movie, I have opted to just skip, as it doesn't affect the story.


**One shot Epic length story. This dam idea was in my head ever since I watched the movie recently. This is mainly based off the 2017 version, although it might include elements from the original, as I can't remember everything they say in the movie.**

 **Enjoy. This was whipped off the top of my head and created in the span of 4 days.**

 **If the text is italicized, it means they're talking in their native language.**

* * *

"It's the plague. You must leave"

Maurice's heart shattered as he heard his headstrong wife's diagnostic. The plague doctor was already packing up, getting ready to leave. There was nothing there could be done.

"Go," whispered Colette, Maurice's wife, "You must... before it takes her too."

Maurice looked down in sadness before looking their beloved daughter of one, Belle, in the crib. He took one last look at his wife before rushing towards Belle and picking her up. She wailed at the sudden movement and dropped her rose rattle Maurice had made for her. Colette was drinking a medication that would ease her into a deep slumber so she wouldn't suffer any longer from a rose cup, also part of Maurice's invention. With a last goodbye, Maurice left, daughter in his arms and now a widow. Tears streamed down his eyes as he put his daughter into a caravan they had already prepared. He had Phillipe, their horse that was 6 years old and already trained.

"Goodbye, my love," whispered Maurice as he gently nudged their horse to go.

He was part of a huge group that was all trying to flee from the plague. Maurice made his decision to head to a small village called Villeneuve. It would be far enough from Paris so he wouldn't have to remember his wife all the time.

A few days later, after making sure Belle was fed, Maurice split off from the group of people, striking for his own path. Some of the others had done the same, seeking fortune elsewhere. As Maurice was letting Phillipe guide them, suddenly, they were surrounded by bandits!

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Someone alone with a good looking horse and valuables. I'll make this easy. Leave the wagon and horse here, and you'll live," sneered the bandit leader.

Maurice knew it was not worth the risk to argue and was about to comply when Belle started to cry again.

"What's this? A baby? Ooh, let me have 'im. I'll raise it as me own, and make the child a fine bandit," said a female bandit.

"No!" shouted Maurice, hugging Belle close to him, "You won't have my only daughter!"

"Too bad," chuckled the leader, "Get him."

The bandits drew their weapons and came closer, sneering and laughing. Maurice tried to run, but he was surrounded. He hugged his daughter one last time, the only remaining link to his wife as if saying his goodbyes. One of the bandits raised his ax and swung it down, ready to rip into Maurice's back. He closed his eye, waiting for the pain. It never came. He instead heard the sound of metal hitting each other. He opened his eyes to peek and saw a weirdly dressed black hair teenage boy, blocking the ax with an unusual sword design. It was not a rapier, like most nobles and other swordsmen in France used, nor was it a saber. Rather, it was a straight double edged sword that extended to what seemed to be about 75 centimeters. A bit shorter than a usual rapier. The hilt was also quite different. Instead of anything elegant or even a round protector separating the blade from the grip, it was a simple flat piece of metal. Still, Maurice's mind could only be intrigued by how it was made, as it looked quite exotic. There was no loop guard on the sword either. Ending at the pommel was a small metal loop that had a red tassel attached to it.

"Are you all right?" asked the teenager in a rather broken French. He was dressed in what seemed like robes. Very peculiar in Maurice's mind. His hair was slightly braided, going down to his shoulders.

"Who the devil are you!" shouted the bandit leader. The other bandits backed up a little, having no idea where this person came from, or how he managed to sneak in to block the attack.

"Just passerby protect an innocent life," replied the teenager in broken French again. The boy was not using the right words. "Hopefully it deters you from doing more."

"Well you should've kept walking!" sneered the leader, "Get him, Amou!"

The one called Amou grunted as he revealed himself to a rather big man with a club. He smiled, revealing his broken teeth for them all to see. With a roar, he swung his club down at the teenager.

"Guess it'll come to this," sighed the teenager. Within the next second, he dodged the club before spinning and slashing with his sword, cutting into Amou's jugular. Amou fell down, dead.

The other bandits hesitated for a bit until the leader himself screamed, "Somebody kill him!"

Maurice witnessed a miracle for himself and Belle. He tried to shout, to tell the boy to run away. He had considered giving the Belle to the boy and throw himself at the bandits to distract them long enough. To have the boy ride Phillipe out to safety. Instead, the teenage, fighting 10 bandits at once, destroyed them with moves he never witnessed before. He had seen nobles and their swordplay, thanks to his wife. They were completely different from what the teenager was displaying. It was more acrobatic compared to what he knew. After 7 minutes, all the bandits laid in the ground, dead from the teenager's deadly blade. With a swing, the boy shook off all the blood on his blade before sheathing it and turning to Maurice. However, he did not come out uninjured. Stab wounds could be seen on his chest and arm. Maurice quickly put Belle down and bound his wounds

"Who... are you?" asked Maurice as he wrapped some bandages around the boy's arm.

"Zhan Wu-Dan," replied the teenager, "But call me Zack. It's easier for you to say."

"Zack, huh. Well, thank you so much for saving my life and my daughter," thanked Maurice, "We're in your debt."

"No problem," said Zack slowly, after hearing Maurice thank him. Maurice chuckled as he forgot his could tell Zack's French wasn't good from earlier.

"Is English easier?' asked Maurice, switching from French to English.

"Much," said Zack with a smile on his face, "My French isn't exactly the best."

And so, the two of them talked while heading towards Villeneuve. Zack helped protect them, while Maurice started to teach Zack about France and the French culture. Zack in return told him of how he was from a distant land, across the desert and mountains in a place called China. He left seeking adventure and to pursue a certain girl. She was 5 years older than him, but he loved her none the less. He was 14 while she was 19, and both were trained under the same teacher.

"Hoping to be her knight in shining armor, eh?" nudged Maurice.

"As if," replied Zack, "She's her own knight. One of the strongest person to be trained before she left."

"Well, are you in any hurry?" asked Maurice. When Zack shook his head, Maurice quickly invited him to live with him and Belle for a while until he recovered. Zack, seeing no harm, agreed.

It was about six years later when Zack finally left. He had stayed much longer than he had planned. But when he saw Belle as a child, he instantly fell in love with the child and declared himself to be the girl's older brother and protector. He has been content staying for longer when Maurice approached him.

"Zack," said Maurice sadly, "As much as I would love you to stay and protect us, I can not, in good conscious, keep you away from your true goal. To find your loved one. I know you had put it off to help us get on our feet, but we're finally stable. Now is the time for you to go with the winds, to help others, as you helped us."

Zack looked at Maurice before giving him a hug, "Thanks, old man. I promise I'll try to visit again one day."

"I'll hold you to it," replied Maurice.

During his stay, Maurice and Zack had made many inventions for Zack to use in his travels. A portable rope and claw with a winding mechanism so it would be easier to gather. A portable crossbow placed on Zack's left arm with some ammo. A flintlock pistol just in case. He also had two new swords to which he told Maurice it was called _Jian_ and _Dao_. The first one was like the original sword, while the second one was a single edged. Both of them had been crafted by both of them with the help of a blacksmith.

"Come back to us soon, Wu-Dan Gege!" cried Belle, now seven. In learning French and English, Zack had also decided to teach Belle some Chinese words. What used to be brother Zack was now Wu-Dan Gege, as a sign of respect to his culture, though Zack didn't care which one she used. He would always be her older brother.

"Of course," smiled Zack, "Tell me, Belle. While I'm on my travels, do you want me to get you something?"

Belle thought about it for a bit before replying, "A rose."

"Your father already gets you a rose every time he visits the next village to sell his wares," said Zack, "Isn't there anything else?"

"Maybe... A book about your homeland?" asked Belle.

"A tall request," laughed Zack, "But I'll try my best. Just keep practicing those words I taught you when I come back, all right?"

Belle nodded, and so Zack left Maurice and Belle, who were both waiving goodbyes to him while the sun was just rising.

* * *

 _Five years later, Month of December_

A woman of the age of 30 was slowly walking to the castle. She was wearing a thick cloak, as it was snowing, and a hood to cover her face. A sword in a sheath could be seen on her belt. She needed somewhere to stay for the night. She knocked on the castle door, waiting until a kind middle-aged lady opened the door.

"Please, may I stay for the night?" asked the woman.

"Oh dear, it's dreadfully cold outside. Come in, come in!" said the lady as she pulled the visitor inside. She quickly introduced herself as Mrs. Potts and poured some tea for the lady and some food for her.

"Thank you," say the woman.

"Oh don't worry. With the master getting busy ready for his party, I doubt he'll notice someone coming in."

"The master?" asked the woman.

"Yes, yes. Prince Adam of this castle and the land surrounding it. A spoiled child, but one that I have taken care of as a child none the less."

"Is this Prince Adam your son?"

"Goodness me, no. I've taken care of him when he was a child, I could almost view him as one. But I have my own child here visiting," laughed Mrs. Potts.

"Mrs. Potts! Where are you? We need your help with the afternoon tea!"

In came in two male servants, both with a mustache. One looked rather suave while the other was a bit portly and strict.

"Who is this?" asked the portly one.

"No need to be rude," scolded the suave one, "A lady deserves to be respected. May I have your name?"

The woman took off her hood, letting her long luscious black hair fall down. Her face was a picture of beauty. Her lips were rosy red, her skin almost pale.

"My name is Xu Jiao. But I have long discovered that many people in these lands cannot pronounce my name right. So you can call me Julie."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl like yourself," praised the suave one, "I am Lumiere, the castle's maitre'd. The grumpy one beside me is Cogsworth, the castle's majordomo."

"Careful there," grunted Cogsworth, "Otherwise I might spill to Fifi that you were hitting on somebody else again."

"She knows that she is ze only one for moi," waved Lumiere, "I am free to admire, as long as I don't do anything else."

Julie could only smile as the two men bantered with each other. It was easy to see that the two of them were best friends.

"WHERE'S MY TEA!?"

All four of them jumped in surprise at this voice before remembering what time it was.

"Oh dear. I must get the master's tea and biscuits now, otherwise he'll get grumpier," said Mrs. Potts, putting the items on the trolley before rushing out.

"I guess I should hide for now?" asked Julie.

"A good idea," whispered Lumiere, "Young master isn't exactly... nice."

"Why do you all serve him so faithfully then?" asked Julie.

"A question we have all asked ourselves," nodded Cogsworth, "But in the end, we all came with the same answer. We can't bear to leave Prince Adam alone. He's only 16 and without any parents already. Hopefully, as he grows, he'll learn to take responsibility and become the person like his mother was. Loving and nice."

Julie nodded, finishing her tea and food before grabbing some coins, pushing them to Cogsworth, saying it would be for the room and food. Cogsworth sputtered a bit, but Lumiere swept the money into his hands before giving some of the coins back, saying they would feel bad if they overcharged her. Julie thanked them before another servant was called upon to guide Julie to her room.

* * *

A day later, Julie witnessed Prince Adam in his usual temper tantrum before preparing for the ball. Luckily, she kept herself hidden from his view. Mrs. Potts managed to convince Julie to stay one more day for the ball, saying it was still too cold to go outside. And she also needed someone to watch over her son Chip for a bit. Julie couldn't say no and watched over Chip. She witnessed the ball and agreed it was quite beautiful, and the singer could sing, but she couldn't help but feel like the prince had thrown this ball at for his own selfish whim. Disgusted, she took Chip into another room to play. The two of them were playing cards when Julie felt a disturbance in the air. A magical one. Then, screams could be heard come from the banquet hall. Chip immediately took off to look for his mother, while Julie grabbed her bag before swiftly following. As the two of them navigated themselves through the crowd, Chip managed to reach his mother while Julie saw the prince kneeling before what seemed to be a powerful enchantress.

" **As punishment for being unable to see the truth within,"** announced the enchantress, **"I will transform you into the most appropriate creature of your behavior. And a curse to all those who live here."**

At that, Julie reacted. She knew she didn't stand a chance against the enchantress, but maybe skilled enough to run away fast enough before she got caught by whatever was coming. But her honor demanded that she repay the ones who let her live here, even momentarily. She threw 4 talismans right in front of Prince Adam, surprising him and the enchantress. They floated in the air between the two, and a second later, they spat out energy bolts at the enchantress. The enchantress waved her arm, deflecting the bolts. She was intrigued at who did it when she heard something coming above. She looked up to see Julie in the air coming down with her sword in full swing. The enchantress held out her hand, blocking the strike. With another wave of her hand, she sent Julie flying into the ground to the side. Julie quickly recovered after being thrown into the ground, using the momentum to get herself back on her feet. She got into her stance, intriguing everyone. Her sword was in her right hand, held low. Her stance was different from the usual sword style. The sword itself was a jian, not a rapier. And finally, her left hand was in the air in front of her face, ready to strike and used as a balance, with two fingers sticking out.

" **You... are not a resident of this castle, nor of this land,"** said the enchantress in amusement, **"Why do you interfere?"**

"What have they done to earn your curse?" spat back Julie.

When the enchantress told her of how the prince failed her test even though he was given a warning, Julie frowned but replying, "But the others have done nothing to earn your curse."

" **They are responsible for raising the prince,"** stated the enchantress, **"They failed to raise him right. To be responsible. The prince is responsible for the land around him, and the villages. And yet, he taxes them for his party. This test was his final one to see if there was something within him. And he failed."**

"Guess we'll have to agree to disagree," sighed Julie, "The prince _may_ deserve whatever coming, but don't blame it on the staff. They treated me nice, and offered me a place to stay for the night. It is because of this that I defend them. On my honor."

" **Such a noble heart,"** replied the enchantress, **"But still. It is too late. I will do what I have announced, and you will not stop me."**

Julie gripped her sword and knowing that she couldn't win, charged forward to attack. The enchantress stomped the ground, and the ground beneath Julie suddenly turn to liquid, ensnaring her before solidifying, trapping Julie. She struggled but could not get out.

" **Now, as I was saying,"** said the Enchantress, **"A curse to this castle and all who live in it. And until you have found one to love, you shall remain... a beast. And if you cannot one to love you as you are before the last petals fall just before your 21st year, then the transformation and curse will be permanent."**

At her proclamation, the prince started to transform into a hideous beast with horns. The other residents of the castle themselves also transformed into different objects, such as a clock or a cup. Soon, only the enchantress and Julie were left untouched. The castle itself also transformed.

" **Hmm, you are not a resident of this castle, so the curse has not affected you. But still, you tried to attack me, even if it was for a good reason. So I place upon you a different curse. You will remain in this place as a statue. Time will have no affect on you. Whether the prince finds love or not, you will be free. It merely depends on when he succeeds. If he does not do it after 5 years, the spell will be broken. For you have decided to tie your fate with his."**

With a waive of her hands once more, Julie found herself solidifying into stone. She closed her eyes, knowing she couldn't do anything. Her last memory was her pinky promise with a little boy 5 years younger than her, who swore he would find her when it was his turn.

" _Goodbye_ ," she whispered, " _My only regret is I never got to see you again...Zang Wu-Dan."_

With her job done, the enchantress left, but not before putting the castle and a good chunk of the land around it in an eternal snowy weather. She cast another spell so the villages around the castle would forget about the castle and its residents.

Years flew by, and the prince fell into despair. For who could ever love a Beast so hideous as he?

* * *

 _4 years and 6 months later, Month of July_

Belle was humming to herself as she went to the library once again to see if there were any new books. She had grown into a beautiful woman, like her name stated. However, due to her love for reading and being the daughter of who many considered an eccentric inventor, many labeled her as a funny girl. She didn't mind. She loved her father and helped him with some of his inventions every now and then. She adroitly navigated through the crowds of villagers and made it to the library. She was a bit disappointed that there wasn't anything new. She had read all the books in the village library now. So, instead, she took her favorite story once more. The librarian was kind enough to just give her the book, stating that since it was her favorite and that she was also his favorite customer, he'd give her a gift. Belle thanked him and went on her way. She purchased some bread so her family would have something to eat for breakfast.

As she was walking, she ran into Gaston once again. Gaston was whom many considered a hero. He was a strong and handsome hunter who also fought in the recent war, only to return with barely a scratch. He had medals that decorated his bravery and tenacity. However, Belle viewed him as a dimwitted man. Her brother was stronger than Gaston, even if it had been about 10 years since she last saw Wu-Dan Gege. She had tried to see if the library had any books about China, but there was nothing.

"Hello, Belle," greeted Gaston suavely with flowers in his hand.

"Bonjour Gaston," replied Belle with a fake smile.

And so, once again, Gaston tried to woo Belle with no success. Belle promptly ignored him and went straight home.

* * *

 _Fast forward to after Gaston tries to ask Belle to marry him while Maurice and Phillipe have left already._

* * *

Belle was out in the fields, lying on the floor. Gaston was really starting to grate on her nerves. Honestly, she couldn't even imagine what life would be like as Madame Gaston. She'd rather be married to Wu-Dan Gege. She blushed at that thought a little. When she was six, she had declared to a lot of people she'd marry him when she grew up, even though they were a good 14 years apart. Of course, Zack had taken it with much laughter, along with her father. Now that she grew up, she viewed him as an older brother, even though it had been a long time since they last seen him. His last letter to them was about 5 months ago, telling them he was fine. Belle got back on her feet and went to do any chores she might've forgotten.

* * *

 _Fastfoward. Belle goes to castle, trades place with her father Maurice, Maurice trying to get back to the village to find help. Two days pass as he tries to get back._

* * *

A hooded man was walking towards a village. He looked up towards the village, his eyes filled with reminiscing light. He threw his hood back to reveal it was Zhan Wu-Dang, or Zack as he went by now.

"Been 16 years since I've seen this place. Hope Maurice and Belle are doing well. Belle should be around 17 now."

He had grown a bit and now had a scar on his right cheek and over his left eye, though thankfully, he wasn't blind. He was still carrying the equipment that had been made for him at the village. Beside him was a husky that was about the size of an adult wolf named Long. Zack had found him during his travels, wounded from something. He healed him, and Long decided to follow him. He entered the village and immediately went to the house he was familiar with. He knocked on the door but got no answer. He looked around and saw Phillipe, their horse, was absent.

"Guess they went to sell some wares at the nearest market," murmured Zack, "Just my luck. Guess I'll head to the local tavern for a drink. Long, stay here for now." The husky named Long obeyed, parking his rear on the porch. Zack gave him some food before going his way.

He entered the tavern in time to witness LeFou starting his song to cheer up Gaston. Zack shrugged before ordering his drink and meal and finding a place to sit away from all the ruckus. He raised his eye in amusement when Gaston joined in the singing, bragging about his achievements. Some of the villagers saw this but chose not to comment about it. The man was just a stranger to them, and couldn't fault him for not knowing who Gaston was. However, some of the local girls saw him and were interested in his... exotic looks and nature. They tried to approach him, only to be coldly rebuffed. That only made him look better, as they had been also rebuffed by Gaston too. It was towards the end of their song, to which Zack had to admit was catchy, did Maurice appear in the tavern, looking ragged and hysterical.

"Help! Someone help me!'

"Maurice?" said the barkeeper in surprise. Zack stood up when he saw him. He recognized him even after 16 years.

"Please! Please, I need your help! He's got her. He's got her locked in the dungeon!"

"Who?" asked LeFou curiously.

"Belle. We must go. N-not a minute to lose!" shouted Maurice.

"Whoa! Slow down, Maurice. Who's got Belle locked in a dungeon?" said Gaston.

"A beast! A horrible, monstrous beast!" replied Maurice, begging for help.

At this point, everyone started to laugh at him, not believing him. When Maurice told them that he found a castle where it was snowing, they laughed harder. Why would it snow in the middle of July? Gaston looked pensive, though, as if thinking of a plan. The laughing stopped when a sword suddenly appeared on the long table, making a loud noise. A second later, Zack jumped onto the table, grabbing the sword out of the table and putting it back in its sheath before walking to Maurice.

"Maurice? Are you sure about this?" demanded Zack.

Maurice took a second to look at Zack, not recognizing him. Then he looked down and noticed the gears that he himself had made with Zack and looked back at his eyes and face, slowly recognizing him.

"Zack? You're back!" shouted Maurice, hugging him and forgetting about Belle for about 0.5 seconds before coming back to her.

"You must help me! We must go now!" shouted Maurice.

Zack put his hand on Maurice's brow and noticed that the man had a fever. It was night time, and Zack sighed. At his state and the time, there'd be no way he would be able to trace his steps back easily.

"Easy old man," whispered Zack, "We'll rescue her. But first, we need you to get some sleep."

"But-!" started Maurice, but Zack shook his head.

"It's night time. We would be at a disadvantage without light. Not to mention, you're burning up. I promise, when the sun comes up, we leave for Belle. But you can't help if you're sick."

Maurice didn't like it, but he conceded. Zack helped him up and left for the tavern exit. Before he reached it, Gaston called out to him.

"Who are you to Belle and Maurice?"

Gaston was worried that another suitor had come, and this one seemed to have Maurice's acknowledgment. He couldn't deny the entrance Zack made, plus the movements, made him a formidable foe.

"I'm Belle's adoptive older brother," called out Zack, not even turning around before leaving.

The tavern was silent a bit before they all started to whisper among themselves.

"Adoptive brother? I've never seen him in the village at all!" scoffed LeFou.

Gaston merely leaned back in his chair. He couldn't tell whether Zack was a threat or not. Being a brother meant Belle would be unlikely interested in him, but that could easily change. And who knew if he was telling the truth? Gaston went to sleep with these worries.

* * *

Maurice slowly woke up as the sun started to shine on his face. He blinked twice before getting up as fast as he could, looking around. He was in his room back at his house. But Belle was still in the castle! He jumped off, trying to get his shoes as fast as he could when he heard a cough. He looked to see Zack standing there with food in his hand.

"You're really back," said Maurice in a daze.

"Told you I'd come back, although it took awhile," replied Zack, "Now that you're up and rested, eat this quickly. We needed 5 days for you to recover from your fever. We leave for Belle."

Five days! Maurice gasped at this. Who knew what the beast had done while he laid in bed sick. Maurice quickly scarfed down the bread and butter and getting some water. The two of them quickly left for the woods, along with Long. Zack decided to carry Maurice on his back before running, stating it would be faster. Behind them though was Gaston and LeFou, interested to see where they would go.

 _A few minutes later._

"Doesn't he get tired?" panted LeFou, "We should've gotten horses!"

"Hindsight bites," muttered Gaston before picking LeFou up and chasing the other two. He was still good to go, although he had to admit he needed to work on his stamina a bit. They opted out of horses as they wanted to stalk them to see what was going on, and the horses would make too much noise.

"It was here!" shouted Maurice, stopping them all, "That tree! I recognize it. It fell down when thunder struck it! It opened another path!"

"Why is it back up again then?" muttered LeFou, "Crazy old man."

"Be quiet!" whispered Gaston, bonking on LeFou's head.

Zack closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before walking towards the tree. In one moment, his hand was on his sword strapped on his back. Then, with a roar, he drew his _Dao_ and sliced the tree trunk. The tree fell down with a crash, revealing to them all a snowy path, with snow clearly falling down.

"The coot wasn't lying," gasped Gaston as Zack, Maurice, and Long entered the path.

"Should we go after them?" asked LeFou

"No, I've seen enough," grinned Gaston, "I already have the perfect plan."

"Really?" asked LeFou. Gaston whispered it into his ear before LeFou was also grinning. It was perfect! Right after that, he slightly frowned. "Are you sure we have to do that?"

"It's necessary," replied Gaston before the two of them left for the village to prepare.

* * *

"This place. It reeks of curse magic," stated Zack as he looked around.

"Magic?" asked Maurice. He would've dismissed it if it wasn't for what he had personally witnessed.

"Yea," replied Zack, "I can feel it. I forgot to tell you, but I hadn't studied it yet when I was with you guys. I can also cast and detect magic."

"Interesting," replied Maurice. Suddenly, they heard growls around them.

"It's the wolves!" shouted Maurice in worry. Sure enough, they were surrounded. The pack leader seemed to be a one with a scar on its eye. They growled menacingly at them. Then, they stopped when Long made himself known, growling at the leader himself. The two canines circled around each other while the other wolves stayed back. Zack noticed that some of the wolves seemed to have been injured quite recently. The two canines barked and growled at each other for a bit. Then, they charged at each other, biting and clawing. The challenge had been issued.

Maurice tried to run to help, but Zack held his hand out to stop him.

"Trust him. Long is a good friend that's been on the battlefield before. I have no doubt he'll win."

Sure enough, the leader of the wolf found himself in the floor, with Long's paws on his chest. The wolf shifted and clawed at Long's leg. His reply was to sing his teeth into the wolf's throat, and with a mighty shake of his neck, snape the wolf's neck in half. The other wolves scattered, seeing Long assume dominance before howling in victory.

"Let's go," stated Zack, walking forward before petting Long on the head for a job well done.

Belle was actually enjoying her time at the castle. True, she didn't have the freedom to go as she pleased, but she understood. After the incident with running into wolves and Beast saving her, she started to see him in a different light. Not to mention a number of books he had. Some titles she never heard of before! She was outside, walking with the Beast. Phillipe was calmly eating hay in the back. The two of them toured the gardens before sitting down. There was just something in Beast that she simply didn't see before. Then, they heard footsteps closing in. Beast rose up, standing in front of Belle to protect her. Then, Belle saw her father, another man with scars, and a huge husky with.. blood on its teeth?

"Belle!" shouted Maurice, "Where did you take her, you beast!"

"Father?" gasped Belle in surprise, revealing herself behind Beast.

The Beast growled in anger for a bit before his senses told him to duck. He did so just to see a sword slash above him miss.

Zack made a tsk noise before switching to a kick, landing a solid one. Beast didn't even seem to be phased by it, though.

"Belle, get back to the castle!" roared Beast as he charged at the stranger.

"Belle, your brother's coming to save you!" shouted the stranger.

Belle was about to take a step to the castle when she stopped at that. She whirled around, taking a close look at the stranger before figuring out his identity.

Beast observed the man as he landed a punch on him. The man recovered before drawing out his other sword, taking a stance. The stance seemed vaguely familiar to him, as did his looks. Something he had seen perhaps almost 5 years ago. Before the two of them could do anything else, Belle jumped in between them.

"Stop!"

Both of them paused, unsure what to do. For Beast, it was his feeling for Belle, starting to fall in love. For Zack, it was the sibling love.

"Belle? Is that you? Wow you've grown beautiful," complimented Zack.

"Wu-Dan Gege! It's been so long!" screamed Belle before giving Zack a hug.

Beast looked at the scene in confusion and slight jealousy. Who was this man, getting a hug from his... Belle.

"Belle! Oh my daughter, you're alright! Did the Beast hurt you?" asked Maurice.

Belle laughed before telling him no. Then, he told them all to come to the castle as she would explain what had happened. They all found themselves in the dining hall. Maurice was a bit surprised to see the talking objects again, but Zack looked at them curiously.

"So...," started Zack, "Why is this place full of... curse magic?"

"You can tell?" asked Lumiere.

"Yea. Part of my studies as I travel the world," replied Zack, "I was looking for someone."

None of the staff nor Beast was willing to talk about the curse, so they left that subject alone.

"Who are you to Belle?" asked Chip in interest.

"Chip! You can't just ask like that," scolded Mrs. Potts, but Zack waved it off.

"I'm her protective adoptive older brother. Haven't exactly done my job since I left to travel, but I'm back for a little bit. Decided to visit when all this mayhem happened."

Cogsworth was staring at Zack for the longest time while they ate. Belle noticed and decided to ask what was wrong.

"My apologies," said Cogsworth, "But I feel like I've seen someone similar to you before."

Beast suddenly perked up for a bit, remembering the female that had tried to help them, "Your sword stance! It reminded me of her!"

Mrs. Potts also perked up at this too, "Your natural stance. It's also quite similar."

"To whom?" asked Zack. It was rare for any people from his native homeland to come here at all.

"Julie," replied Fifi.

"Not familiar with that name," shrugged Zack.

"She has another name, but it was too hard to pronounce," commented Lumiere, "She was cursed, but with a different magic. She's now a statue."

"Show me. Maybe I can get her out, and help your curse while I'm at it," said Zack. Seeing no harm, Beast and Cogsworth led him and him alone to the statue. They had moved it to the West Wing, near the rose. Belle didn't see it as she hadn't noticed it, as they had covered the statue with a cloth. Belle and Maurice were taken to the library, along with Long.

"So... you're her older brother?" asked Beast.

"Self-proclaimed," replied Zack, "I saved them from a bandit attack when Belle was only one. I instantly fell in love with the cute baby and declared myself her older brother to protect her."

Beast could only grunt before pulling the cloth off the statue, revealing to them Xu Jiang.

"Xu Jiang!" gasped Zack, falling to his knee.

"Oh dear. I take it you know her?" asked Cogsworth.

"She's the one I've been trying to find for the last 16 years! Why is she a statue! What tricky is this!?" shouted Zack in anger. He slowly touched her stone face, unable to figure out what to do.

"Tell me everything about what happened here," said Zack with no emotion as tears could be seen coming out of his eyes.

Beast and Cogsworth looked at each other, debating on what to do. In the end, they decided to tell him all about the enchantress and what had happened that fateful day.

"An enchantress," murmured Zack as he processed the information, "Most likely S-class rank. A-class ranks maybe, but Xu Jiang should've been able to put up more of a fight. I don't think I can do anything, but our master might. The only problem is that he's in China. Even if I went the fastest route, I'd never reach him in time. The curse would hit you all. Xu Jiang would be sad if it did."

"Do you know where to go?" asked Beast, "Can you picture the location?"

"Why do you ask that?" questioned Zack.

"Follow me."

* * *

They went to the library, where Maurice was having a nice conversation with Chip while Belle was buried in her books again. Long was taking nap near the fireplace, and the footstool was napping right next to him. Beast pulled out the magical book the enchantress had given him before opening it to the world map.

"You're going somewhere?" asked Belle curiously. Maurice looked up at this too. Beast quickly explained the book's function, impressing Zack. With this, he could head over to China and find his master and hopefully solve this dilemma.

"Alright. We're going to China then," stated Zack.

"Can I come with?" asked Belle, her eyes shining in anticipation. Beast and Zack could only look at each other before shrugging. Both of them were used to her inquisitive nature by now.

"I think I'm going to head home," said Maurice as he stretched his legs, "I was in a rush that I forgot some important things back at home. Now that I know Belle is safe, I'm slightly less worried. Especially with you here, Zack."

"I'm sending Long with you," said Zack, leaving no room for argument, "He'll protect you from any wolves, especially since he took out the leader."

Maurice nodded and left, but not before promising Belle he'd return as soon as he could. As he left, the three of them placed their palms on the book. Zack closed his eyes before whispering, "To China." A second later, they vanished in a flash of golden light.

Belle opened her eyes and was amazed to see what was around them. Mountains around them, and a valley with a beautiful view of nature. The air itself seemed different. Beast also seemed a bit shocked. He had never been this far before. The furthest he went using the book was probably Paris, as he wasn't really welcomed with his form right now.

"Come, I'll show you the way," said Zack.

The trio walked down a hidden path, going up the mountain and into a cave. The cave seemed to be a trap, but after a bit of navigation, they saw a small village. Belle and Beast saw that the design was much different from their own homelands. The villagers themselves gave Belle and Beast curious stares but did nothing to stop them. Soon, they were in a monastery.

"Master, I have returned and am in need of your help of the mystical sort," bowed Zack.

Belle and Beast looked away from the drawings they had been admiring to see a bald man with a long white beard **floating** in midair with crossed legs. They gaped in shock.

"What has happened?" asked the master curiously.

"I found Xiu Jiang, but she's been cursed," replied Zack, "I have brought someone who has also been cursed by the same person. Beast, can you please come forward to master to feel your face"

"Feel my face?" asked Beast in slight disgust and wonder.

"So he can determine the type of magic," replied Zack.

Beast looked at Belle, who nodded and pushed him forward. The old master felt Beast facing, seemingly ignoring the fact that he had horns, pointy teeth, and claws.

"You... aren't afraid of me?" asked Beast.

"I have seen much. Your appearance is not the most shocking that I have witnessed. I've seen far worse," chuckled the master before finishing his diagnostic.

"There is nothing I can do. The curse has progressed this far, and only fulfilling the conditions will break it," stated the master, "The person who cast this spell is powerful indeed. However, it is most likely the person who cast it is nearby to keep this curse going. Otherwise, it would've already claimed you within a year unless she's there to provide the conditions."

"And those conditions are?" asked Belle.

"You can't know," replied Zack and Beast quickly, "It would compromise the condition if anyone outside knew."

Belle pouted but sat back down.

"Thank you, master. We will be going now."

"Before you go," said the master, "Did yo want a book, young girl?"

Belle perked up in excitement, causing Beast and Zack to laugh at the excited girl. Belle got her new book, and they disappeared back to the castle. As Belle went off to read her new book, Zack turned to Beast.

"You really have fallen for her, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Then don't break her heart," warned Zack.

"We should have a dance tonight," suggested Lumiere, "Confess your feelings for her, and see if she returns it."

"Good idea," replied Zack, "I'll be in a room meditating while you do so. Need to see if there isn't something I can do for Xu Jiang at least. Try not to interrupt me. But before I go, let me give you a little advice..."

* * *

Maurice was whistling when he returned home. He began packing up all of Belle's stuff, intending to return to the castle to drop it off. True, he was scared that Belle was living there with Beast, but he seemed... tamer now. Belle must've done something. And add the fact Zack seemed to be staying there made it so much safer. He remembered the times in the village Belle had always been viewed as a strange girl, and usually alone. He opened a box, looking at it with sadness before pulling out a locket. It had been her mother's. He hadn't the courage to give it to her all these years, but now it seemed like a good time to do so. Long licked his hand to shake him out of his trance. He shook his head before petting the dog's head, he was about to head out when he found Gaston waiting for him. Without giving him a chance, he dragged him to the village center, where all the villagers seemed to be waiting there.

"You're going to tell us everything," whispered Gaston, "And I'll be making Belle my wife."

Long, who had been ignored, quickly ran off to the castle. He had to tell this to his master and friends.

Beast had brought Belle into the West Wing, where the enchanted rose was. The statue of Xu Jiang had been moved to another room where Zack could meditate with it.

'This is it,' clammed Beast mentally, 'I'll confess to her. Her brother doesn't hate me, so that's a plus. The father... not so much.'

"Do... you like the castle?" started Beast off.

Beast looked at him before nodding in reply.

"If you want... you can stay here forever. You, your father, and your brother. Or you are free to go anywhere you want."

Belle looked at him in shock. Before she could say anything, they both heard a barking noise. They looked out to see Long dashing towards the castle before jumping onto a statue. He proceeded to climb up the castle, jumping at any jutting until he reached the top.

"What is it, boy?" asked Belle. Long kept barking, putting his head on Belle's hand.

"I don't know what... wait, where's my father? Weren't you suppose to be with him?"

Long whimpered before pointing his head towards the village.

"Something's wrong," gasped Belle, "Something's happened."

"Here, take this," said Beast quickly, grabbing his enchanted mirror, "It's an enchanted mirror that shows you who you want to see. I... used it to check on you sometimes when you refused to come down."

Belle didn't seem to register that last part before grabbing the mirror, "Show me my father."

The mirror changed, revealing Maurice being dragged by the villagers towards a cart.

"He's not insane! Maurice doesn't deserve this!" shouted the librarian.

"Of course he is," scoffed Gaston, "Beasts with claws, snow weather. All signs of a lunatic. He'll be better off away from everyone!"

'And once he's gone, I'll seemingly stumble into the castle and lead the villagers there. Then, I'll kill whoever is holding MY Belle hostage. She'll fall into my arms as she won't have a father any longer. And then she'll be all mine.'

"No!" shrieked Belle, "I have to go. I have to stop them!"

"Then go," proclaimed Beast, "You are free to go where ever you like."

Belle looked at Beast before nodding and returning the mirror.

"No," replied Beast, "Keep it. As a keepsake from me."

"Thank you," cried Belle before running out of the room towards the stable. She jumped onto her trust horse Phillipe and rode off. In all this panic, they forgot about Zack. Beast watched as she rode off into the distance, feeling like she wouldn't come back here anymore. After all, who could love a beast? He was just deluding himself. And yet the girl seemed to have dug into his heart. Cogsworth and the rest had asked him if it worked, only to be surprised that he had let her go because, in his heart, he had to. He would not imprison the girl he loved.

 _Sings Evermore_

The cart was ready to take Maurice to the insane asylum. The only problem was that many 'treatments' involved wrong medications that would kill a person, if not turn them into a vegetable. LeFou was starting to have second thoughts about this plan, the rider started to urge his horse forward, Belle showed up in her yellow dress, stopping them all.

"Belle! Thank goodness your safe!" said Gaston as he went to her, as if to hug her.

"No!" shouted Belle, "You will not take my father!"

"Belle, your father is clearly insane," stated Gaston, "He's talking about all this nonsense about a beast in a castle."

"The beast is real!" shouted Belle, grabbing the enchanted mirror, "Show me the beast!"

The mirror instantly showed a picture of Beast, and she raised it high into the sky to show them all.

"The beast, it's real!"

"Look at its claws! It's teeth!"

"It'll kill us all!"

'Not the way I planned this, but I could use this to my advantage,' planned Gaston before grabbing the mirror.

"Look at this Beast! If we don't do something now, it could harm us! Our children aren't safe. Well I say we kill the beast now!"

"No! He's harmless. He won't hurt anyone!" shouted Belle, trying to convince them all, "He's kind and gentle."

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you had feelings for this monster!" accused Gaston, grabbing Belle and forcing her to look at him.

"He's no monster, Gaston!" sneered Belle as she slapped his hands away, "You are!"

"By gods, I've heard of black magic, but enough to ensnare you too? Throw her into the cage with her father!" shouted Gaston. The villagers complied as Gaston played them on their fears. Soon, torches and pitchforks were gathered, knives and swords piled up. The villagers started their march towards the castle. Gaston had taken the mirror with him. Nobody seemed to question how Gaston knew where to go.

* * *

Gaston and his mob arrived at the castle, trying to break open the door while the staff tried to stop them. In the end, they decided to hide as plain objects when the managed to get in, and land a surprise attack. As the fight went on, Gaston managed to escape and go up the stairs while everybody was distracted. He abandoned LeFou when he was trapped under a piano. Chip was flying plates at the enemy when one of the villagers managed to get behind him and was about to slam his club on Chip.

"Chip!" shouted Mrs. Potts. Chip looked behind to see the club descend. Suddenly, Long jumped into the fray, snarling and tackling the man down. His jaws bit down on the man's pants before dragging him away. Mrs. Potts herself was saved by LeFou, who decided that after being abandoned by Gaston he was on the wrong side. However, the villagers were starting to press in when a sword came flying and piercing the ground with a loud noise. Everyone stopped fighting to see what was happening. Zack landed onto his sword, looking quite angry.

"Mind telling me why there's a bloody fight here while I was trying to meditate?!" shouted Zack in a foul mood.

"Invaders. They invaded the castle to kill the master," said Lumiere.

"What the candle holder said," added LeFou, "Gaston wants to kill the beast to get Belle's hand in marriage."

"Is that so?" said Zack, staring at the villagers in anger. He drew out his blades, ready to kill when Mrs. Potts yelled out, "Please. Don't kill them."

The villagers were looking at Mrs. Potts with a mixture of gratitude and weirdness, but Zack nodded his head before dashing in. He made sure to use the flat side of his blades to inflict punishment.

"You know, I'm kinda glad I swapped sides," said LeFou nervously as he saw Zack shredding through the crowd. His finishing move was throwing 5 talismans in the air and summoning what seemed like lightning bolts and firing them at the ground in front of the villagers. They all fled away in fear. Belle, however, managed to arrive after breaking out of the cage through wit and skill. She had told her father that she had been to Paris to witness where she was born.

"You're back!" shouted Lumiere.

"Wait, you left? Why didn't you tell me?" asked Zack.

"Sorry, forgot," said Belle sheepishly, "But where is Beast. I need to tell him something important."

Everyone shrugged before they heard a gunshot. They looked up and gasped to see Beast falling down from a tower.

* * *

 _Few minutes earlier._

Beast was still up in the topmost tower, just gazing off into the distance when Gaston appeared before him.

"Hello Beast! I'm Gaston. Belle sent me" lied Gaston, "Were you in love with her? Did you honestly think she'd want you?"

In his heart, Beast said yes. Then Gaston fired his pistol at Beast, causing him to roar in pain. He fell down and landed on another tower,

"Beast!" shouted Belle, immediately running up the stairs. Suddenly, two of Gaston's goons who had been forced to wear dresses attacked her, trying to stop her. Zack blocked their blades with his blades, allowing Belle to continue running forward. She stopped to look back, but Zack shouted, "Go! Just go to him!"

Belle nodded and without missing a beat, kept running up the West Wing.

"Well, well, looks like I get to have fun," said Zack sarcastically as the goons got rid of the dress. Surprisingly, the third goon showed no signs of joining in the fight and actually seemed to enjoy being in a dress. Zack merely shrugged it off before walking towards the two goons with a menacing grin. This would be quick.

Belle was heaving as she ran up what seemed to be endless stairs before she finally reached a balcony near Beast. Gaston was about to swing a broken pillar he had gotten on him.

"Beast!"

Beast suddenly woke up from his trance after hearing Belle's voice calling out for her. He roared and punched stone weapon Gaston had into dust before having his other hand shoot out, grabbing Gaston by his neck. He slowly lifted Gaston up and over the edge, debating whether to drop him to his death. Gaston pleaded for mercy, one he was tempted not to do. Then, he looked at Belle and her pleading eyes.

"I am not a beast," growled Beast before throwing him back on the ground. He slightly twitched as he felt the gunshot and injuries he had gotten for letting Gaston have some free shots. He moved back, ready to run and jump. Belle realized what he was about to do, and saw just how far the distance was.

"It's too far!" shouted Belle, "It's too dangerous! I'll find a way over!"

Beast ignored her, and with a roar, jumped over the edge and landed right in front of Belle. He stood up, gazing into her eyes.

"You came back," whispered Beast as he put his claws near her face. Belle didn't hesitate before leaning into the claw and putting her hand on his.

"I had to," whispered Belle, "I forgot to tell you something important."

Before Belle could say anything, her eye's widened in shock. Under Beast's arms, as his cloak fluttered in the wind, she saw Gaston standing up, pointing his gun on Beast's back.

"No!" shouted Belle as she managed to summon up strength she didn't even know she had and turned Beast around, protecting him with her own body. Beast was confused until he saw Gaston's figure and his finger already pulling the trigger. It was too late for him to do anything.

'No!' though Beast, hoping he could do anything to save Belle, even at the cost of his own life. Suddenly, a black blur ran past them just as Gaston pulled the trigger.

BANG!

Belle fell forward, being pushed away with Beast. She looked back in horror to see Zack, her adoptive older brother, reeling back being shot at Gaston. Zack raised his right arm, wielding a pistol, and shot at Gaston in return. Gaston was hit on his left shoulder and reeled back from the impact. The position he chose to shoot from wasn't wise, as he was on a bridgeway with no handrails. His foot stepped on air, and he fell backward. He grabbed the walkway with right hand, as he could feel his left hand refusing to obey after being shot. With a groan, he tried to pull himself up when, to his horror, the bridge started to crumble. Before he could do anything, the bridge fell apart, and he fell down to his death with it.

"Zack!"

"Wu-Dan Gege!"

Belle and Beast quickly scrambled over to Zack, where he laid on his back, bleeding a bit. The bullet had almost torn into his heart, but he was bleeding heavily.

"I'm fine," grunted Zack as he ripped his robes before making a makeshift bandage and moving so he would be leaning on a wall his swords on his sides, "You two, however, need to do something now. Your time is almost running up, Beast."

Beast quickly whirled around to the rose to find that the last petal on the rose almost falling off. But he could tell Zack had suffered more injuries than he was letting them know. He could smell blood flowing from Zack's other injuries that he was hiding. Truthfully, Zack had been hit two times by the goons before he finished them off for good. They were lucky hits, but the injuries were not something a man could brush off easily. It was either get Zack some medical help now and be forever a beast, or confess and hopefully break the curse, but lose Zack in the process. For him, it wasn't a hard choice. Zack had been there to help them. His life was the bigger priority. However, Zack had other ideas.

"Don't dally!" shouted Zack, "Belle, as your older brother, I order you to tell him what you wanted to say now!"

Belle slightly flinched at this demanding tone of her older brother. It was one he rarely used at all when she was growing up with him. However, she learned that he always had a reason to do so. So, without pause, she turned to Beast, "Beast. I wanted to tell you this earlier. But with all this craziness and the fact my father had been captured, I didn't get the chance. Now, I do. I love you. I fell in love with you after spending my time here."

"You... you do?" asked Beast in surprise.

"Yes."

"I've loved you when I saw your stubborn but kind and intelligent spirit!"

Beast could only smile in happiness when he heard this proclamation of love and hugged her. While he did so, just as the last petal started to fall. The residents of the castle could feel their time was coming to and end, and they slowly reverted to inanimate objects. Just as the two was hugging, a woman with a hood came walking in, unnoticed by all except Zack. Zack recognized her as the spinster of the village. However, her face started to transform as she got closer, revealing from what seemed to be an old lady to a beautiful woman.

'She's the one who put the curse,' gasped Zack, 'She had to remain nearby to make sure it followed through.'

The enchantress saw Zack and frowned, knowing the man was dying. However, that was not of her concern as she had come here to fulfill her part of the bargain. With a wave of her hand, the petal stopped falling from the rose before all of the petals started to fly towards Beast and multiplied. They surrounded Beast, causing him to let go of Belle in surprise. He started to float in the air as the petals flew around him, and he began to glow. He closed his eyes as he felt himself transforming back into a human.

Back in a private room of the castle, the stone statue cracked, and a few seconds later, they all burst into pieces, revealing Xu Jiao, or Julie, in one piece, and not a day older from when she had been cursed. She shook her head, regaining her bearings and looked around. Before the curse had taken its place, Julie managed to put a small protective field around her to slightly deflect the curse. Instead of being a stone statue, unable to tell what was happening around her, she was able to send her spirit out once in a while to see what was happening. She only did so once ever 6 months to see what was happening. When she saw Zack standing in front of her, she could feel her spirit crying and yearning as Zack stood there in front of her. She could feel his spirit trying to connect to hers. And so, she watched as Zack meditate in front of her, talking to her about his adventures as if she wasn't a statue. She had been amused to hear that Zack had taken Belle as a little sister.

"Need to find him now," muttered Julie as she closed her eyes. She had a spirit reach out, trying to sense him. And she found him. Dying. Panic filled her mind as she ran out the door.

* * *

"Belle! It's me!"

Belle couldn't believe her eyes as Beast transformed into a rather handsome man who seemed to be barely 3 years older than her. She slowly closed the distance, putting her hand on the man's face. She gazed into his eyes and saw the truth.

"It's true!" whispered Belle, "You're... back to human again."

"The curse! It's lifted!" smiled Beast, and the two of them kissed.

Suddenly, the snow stopped, and light shone from the heavens above, transforming the dreary castle into what it once used to be, a beautiful castle.

"It's... beautiful," said Belle as she saw the transformation.

"... Adam," said the man suddenly. Belle looked at him with confusion.

"That's my name," smiled Adam, "You didn't think I was called Beast all the time."

Belle laughed as she thought about it. She had never bothered to ask.

"Wu-Dan Gege," said Belle, turning to where he had been resting, "Come! It's..."

She stopped when she saw Zack wasn't responding.

"Wu-Dan Gege?" asked Belle once more, slowly going down and prodding him. Adam couldn't bear to tell her the truth, but it had to be done.

"Zack.. He... was injured before he was shot. I was ready to live my life as a Beast if I could get him some help. But instead, he demanded my curse to be broken instead," said Adam quietly.

Belle suddenly realized what Adam meant when Zack's hand that hand been on his sword as support fell lifelessly to the ground. He had a smile on his face as his eyes were closed.

"No...," cried Belle. She couldn't believe it. Her older brother, who swore he would live and come see her marry whoever she chose. The one who swore to protect her always.

The enchantress was leaving the room when the door opened violently. Julie came barreling in the room, ignoring everyone and charging for Zack. She physically shoved the enchantress out of the way into a table. She slide next to Zack, shaking him, hoping to wake him up.

"Zan Wu-Dan!" shouted Julie, " _You do not just die after swearing to find me all these years! You promised me! You promised that we'd be together in our travels! You cannot just die after finding my statue 16 years later. We haven't even talked!"_

Julie slapped him several times, trying to wake him up without succeeding. She punched his heart, hoping to restart it. None of her methods worked.

" _Come on.."_ cried Julie, _"You promised..."_

A slight noise caught all their attention, and they saw the enchantress standing back up.

"You!" shouted Julie, taking out her sword, "You're the one who put the curse on all of us!"

" **And the one who took it away when Prince Adam succeeded,"** replied the enchantress, **"I held my end of the deal."**

"Can... can you help my big brother?" asked Belle.

" **I cannot,"** sighed the enchantress, " **It is not within my domain to revive dead people. Nor is it my responsibility to do so."**

The truth was that maintaining the 5-year curse and then dispelling it had taken a toll on her power. It was one of the reasons why Julie was able to push her into a table. As the three started to cry, another voice rang out.

" **But I can do it."**

They all looked to see Long, the faithful husky that had been traveling with Zack, walking into the door. He transformed into a regal looking man with horns and a scaly tail.

"A dragonlord!" gasped Julie before bowing in respect.

" **Nice to see some people still respect me,"** smiled Long before glaring at the enchantress, **"As for you. I'll be having some words with your clan's association about curses like these. They aren't exactly legal."**

" **I was trying to teach the prince a lesson,"** huffed the enchantress.

" **A lesson does not involve a 5-year curse while placing it on everyone indiscriminately,"** roared Long, **"You're supposed to put it on the main offender ONLY! For Walt's sake, you even cast it on a child who happened to be visiting his mother who worked in the castle!"**

The enchantress huffed and looked away, but she did seem a bit embarrassed. Long ignored it before leaning down on Zack.

" **Can't let you die now. Not after witnessing your heart and kindness. The world needs more people like you,"** said Long before putting his clawed hand on Zack's forehead.

Zack suddenly took a deep breath before coughing, trying to regulate his heartbeat. Before anyone could say anything, Long grabbed the enchantress by her face before jumping off the balcony. They all watched him fly away with the enchantress in his iron grip.

"Was that my husky?" asked Zack weakly.

Everyone merely laughed at Zack's random question. Soon, Zack focused his vision on Julie. He slowly raised his hand to her face, which she leaned into.

" _Looks like I finally found you,"_ chuckled Zack.

" _You did,"_ smiled Julie, taking in Zack's new features since she last saw him. They were now about the same again, thanks to the enchantress freezing time for her. She dipped down and kissed him on the lips. Zack went red but replied back instantly with passion. They slowly broke it up and stood up, though Zack needed to lean on Julie for support. The two couples looked at each other before laughing.

"So, this is the lady Wu-Dan Gege was looking for," smiled Belle, looking at Julie.

"I see you have some experience in our culture," replied Julie, "I am called Julie, but my name is Xu Jiao."

"Don't go breaking her heart now," Zack warned Adam, "She's my little sister."

"I won't," smiled Adam, "I have you and her to thank for, though."

"Master! Where are you? We're free from the curse!"

"Lumiere! Cogsworth! They're also back!" grinned Adam before yelling out in reply. "Come! Let's go down and meet them all. And since it's been a long time and a rather joyous time, we should throw a celebration party!"

The 4 of them laughed together before descending down the stairs, each couple holding hands together.

* * *

 **Bam! Finish! Not writing a dance scene, just gonna say they all lived happily. Families were reunited.**


End file.
